EDITOR’S NOTE: As of 9 a.m. on Wednesday, the Alberta government said the fire had been extinguished; the reception centre closed at 7 a.m. Re-entry is being coordinated through the Municipal District of Willow Creek Fires Services. The emergency alert for the M.D. of Willow Creek was cancelled at 3 p.m.
Residents of the hamlet of Moon River Estates in the southeast corner of the Municipal District of Willow Creek were told to “evacuate immediately” shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday night after officials said a “wildfire has entered the hamlet.”
Evacuees were originally asked to go to Lethbridge and await further instructions. Shortly before 8:30 p.m., officials with the M.D. of Willow Creek said “those who have not yet evacuated” should head to “the Horse Paddock at the bottom of the hill” and await instructions from emergency officials.
Shortly after 11 p.m., the Alberta government released an update on the situation and said evacuees were being asked to go to an evacuation centre that had been set up at the Fort Macleod hall.
“A number of residents are sheltering in place and are not under threat from the fire,” the government said in a news release. “No structures have been lost.”
At 10:30 p.m., the wildfire was declared under control. Then, as of 9 a.m. on Wednesday, the fire was extinguished.
On Wednesday, RCMP said one home was damaged by the fire and several other small structures were impacted.
According to an update from the Alberta government, the reception centre closed at 7 a.m. Re-entry is being coordinated through the Municipal District of Willow Creek Fires Services.
Several areas in southern Alberta were impacted by wildfires and grass fires on Tuesday as much of the province was under a wind warning, exacerbating the situation.
The M.D. of Willow Creek is located northwest of Lethbridge.
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